


Bubbles

by Knight of Light (RadicalRed)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-22
Updated: 2012-08-22
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:38:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadicalRed/pseuds/Knight%20of%20Light
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some drabbles of a plot idea in which Eridan get's cancer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hallucinations

**Author's Note:**

> I want you guy's to know that I'm not sure if this plot will go anywhere and that I am mainly posting as sort of 'get it off my chest' sort of thing. None of this will be any good, chapters will be storyline jumping like crazy and updates will be minimal to nonexistent. 
> 
> 8| So, just a heads up.

Despite what other’s said in therapy, Eridan thought his hallucinations were kinda neat, in a surprising sort of way. They only came every so often; there would be days before Eridan was one hundred percent sure he was seeing something that shouldn’t normally be there. And it was always obvious because his hallucinations were always bubbles. Or some aquatic life form passing by, but more than not it was bubbles.

The first time he saw them he wasn’t even sure if he was hallucinating. Sure the doctor’s said that the chemo would cause him to trip balls and even they couldn’t say what all he would be seeing, but it was still sort of confusing. He first saw them when he was grocery shopping. Bubbles started to obscure his view of bok choy and it really pissed him off because why the fuck would a grocery store even allow kids to blow bubbles around the vegetables? They’d get that soapy taste to them and he’d have to wash the vegetables even more thoroughly than usual. Eridan even remembers complaining to the cashier but now he tries to avoid that particular cashier and that entire store all together now because his brain had been fucking with him and he didn’t even realize it.

It became apparent that he was officially hallucinating when the bubbles practically filled up his apartment one day after checkup at the doctors and despite his claims, Karkat didn’t see a bloody thing. The bubbles were literally popping in his eyes and even getting stuck in his hair and he was denying seeing them.

“Have you been lighting it up with that Asshole?” (The ‘Asshole’ being Gamzee)

That’s when he knew for sure that what he was seeing wasn’t there. Karkat was crotchety as it is, he wouldn’t be putting up bubbles all over the place and forming beards on him. But Eridan kept that last bit to himself, it was fucking hilarious.

So anyway, he thought the bubbles were cool. Made the boring days go by faster and when Karkat wasn’t around he’d even try to pop them. The sea life was interesting too, especially the seahorses, those were his favorite.  Though one thing he _did_ notice with the bubbles was that he couldn’t remember much afterwards. (But this doesn’t go against the fact that the bubbles and seahorses and jellyfish were awesome and he enjoyed looking at them than certain roommates any day.) For example, he could distinctly remember that Karkat had just left for work that morning and then the bubbles showed up for a brief moment and then Karkat was back. Now, that didn’t really bother Eridan the first time but the next few times it really started to annoy him. Saying he ‘was back’ when really he was checking in on him. He wasn’t born yesterday.

But then Karkat would claim that he hadn’t come back to check in on him. That it was the end of the day and ‘isn’t that what people do, go to work, die for five hours and then return to their havens that are home?’ Eridan of course called Karkat on his bullshit. He had left not five minutes ago and was checking on him because he certainly _wasn’t_ a capable adult who look after himself, cancer or no.

But then Karkat would point at the clock.

And it would no longer be 9:45 in the morning but 3:52 in the afternoon. Which was a little concerning at first but hey, everyone last track of time now and again. No big deal. Played it off like a pro and Karkat left it at that.

However, he doesn’t tell his irritable and suspicious roommate that he can just barely put names to faces at the moment. He also doesn’t tell him that he can’t seem to remember the name of the girl whose picture hangs in the hallway. Or any of the other people on the wall for that matter. But it really bothers him that he can’t remember her. It’s a black and white photo and she’s at the beach. It had to of been windy that day because the girls hair is billowed up but it doesn’t even faze the girl. Her smile is big and wide and has all her focus on the camera and not her blonde locks. (Or are they brown? No, not brown but not blonde either. Maybe a mix of the two. It’s hard to tell with a black and white photo.) Freckles cover the girl’s happy face, but unlike Eridan, they aren’t as prominent thanks to her tan. (Wait, does she have a tan or is she dark skinned instead?) And it’s like her blue eyes are looking right into his. (But wait, they’re not blue they’re green! Or does she have chocolate eyes?  Honey gold, maybe?)

Eridan thinks he should tell Karkat that he can’t remember the girl on the wall or any of the others. He knows he’s been caught looking at the pictures enough times to have some kind of question arise but there never is one. He promises himself that when Karkat catches him this time around, he’s going to ask who this girl in the photo his.

He hears the door unlock and a gruff voice announce the man’s return.

The question is on the tip of his tongue.

But then he sees as a bubble float by.

And Eridan thinks he’ll as tomorrow instead.


	2. Eridan Gets a Shave

“Are you really going to do this, fuckass?”

Eridan looked away from his hair and looked at Karkat in the mirror. Baggy eyes glared back at him, his arms stiffly crossed. If he didn’t know any better Eridan would’ve assumed that his new roommate was truly angry at him based on his tone and body language. But Eridan knew better. Karkat was just a grumpy guy. He turned his gaze back to his hair.

“I have to Kar, therapy starts next week.”

“That doesn’t fucking mean your hair will fall out the same fucking day, you moron. It takes like, weeks before you start losing hair or some shit like that.”

Eridan glared back at Karkat through the mirror. “It’ll come out in clumps and I’m not goin’ to walk around like some mangy animal Kar. You can take that to the fuckin’ bank.”

“That’s a stupid fucking analogy, who the fuck says that anymore.” Karkat growled out before leaving Eridan’s bathroom. Eridan sighed and ran a hand through his hair one last time before leaving as well. He heard Karkat stomp out of the living room as he descended the stairs that led to his room. The place was a mess and he couldn’t help but lament on his lost office, which was currently in the metamorphosis of turning into a second bedroom.

The living room was littered with items that needed new homes; framed photographs big and small leaned against walls, his desk and computer were shoved in a corner next to his TV and DVD collection, and books were everywhere, forced from their bookshelves because of all the things that were once in the office/second bedroom Karkat had demanded that the shelves stay for his own stuff. A good chunk of them were on the coffee table but the rest were scattered on the floor and innocent by standing chairs.

“Kar, it’s a fuckin’ disaster out here! Clean this up right now!” A muffled ‘fuck you’ echoed from the hallway and Eridan could only rub his face. Someone was going to end up killing someone, he was sure of it. Eridan was a terrible at sharing anything, he just didn’t do it. His stuff was his stuff, his space was his space; Karkat’s ingenuous plan to move in with him was going to blow in their faces. 

But before he could start to entertain the magnificent plans that would be Karkat’s murder, loud banging came from the door sounded the arrival of Vriska, causing Eridan to groan.

“It’s open!” He yelled towards the door as he braved the living room for one of the chairs.

“Oh my God, Eridan your place looks like total shit.” Eridan gritted his teeth as he removed some books from a chair and drug it to a more clean area of the livingroom. He could hear Vriska snickering behind him but he didn’t give her the satisfaction of a look until he had the chair right where he wanted it. Straightening his back, he turned to look at woman with a sniff.

“Goddamn Vris, your hair looks fuckin’ terrible. And I see you still have your clothes from middle school.”

While she had been courteous not to show up in a pirate outfit like she had at the hospital, her current attire was just as bad in Eridan’s opinion. She looked like she was aiming for a biker vibe mixed with metal head. Or something, he didn’t care so much about her torn jeans or her over buckled boots or her tank top as much as he cared about the flannel shirt she was wearing. It was dreadfully tacky and old and he was more than certain she wore that exact same shirt about a hundred times during middle school and junior high.   




“Why do I even associate myself with you.” The blonde’s blue lips curled up in a condescending smile at him as she set her grubby messenger on the ground, striding over to Eridan until their noses barely touched.

“What, this doesn’t do it for you anymore? If I remember correctly you liked this shirt, Eridan.” She gave him a look that said ‘I dare you to make a comeback at that’, but before Eridan could get anything out Karkat slammed his door opened.

“Can you two assholes stop eyeing each other like that, it’s fucking embarrassing. Eridan if I’m going to live here and care for you like the fucking scrawny ass hipster that you are I would appreciate it if you didn’t fucking try and bang homicidal convicts like Vriska.”

Eridan turned and scowled at Karkat while Vriska snickered and went back to her bag. “Goddamn it Kar, I don’t even fuckin’ want you here in the-What the fuck is that?”

“It’s a camera dumbass. Or did you forget what I’m fuck I’m going to school for.”

“Why the fuck do you have it out? Is it recordin’?” Karkat looked up from camera’s screen and gave Eridan a deadpanned look. “No Kar, fuckin’ no. You are not recordin’ this.”

“The fuck I’m not. This is your fucking lesson for getting cancer in the first place you goddamn piss drinking ass-shit.”

“Are you kiddin’ me? I didn’t ask for this Kar, how could you fuckin’ say something like that?!” Eridan’s face grew hot as he advanced on the shorter man, his hands waving as if he were about to hit him. However, Karkat wasn’t known for backing down from anything and with a face that looked as angry as Eridan felt he met the man head on, shoving the camera in his face as if to say ‘fuck you Eridan, I’m going to record all I want’.

“GET THAT THING OUT OF MY FACE!” Eridan screamed, knocking the offending piece of technology out of Karkat’s hand. The other let out a cry of alarm and fury as the camera hit the ground and skittered off to the side. Tension hung heavy in the air, just waiting to be ignited. Locking eyes, the two raised their arms to perform a ritual that neither had done since their teenage years.

-

 “Ahh!”

“Oh shut up, you big baaaaaaaaby.” Vriska sneered as she replaced a cold pack on Eridan’s face. He whined pathetically and gently held the squishy packet against his cheek. He watched as Vriska stomped away from his spot at the chair and retrieved her bag from the couch.

“Where the fuck is my ice pack?” Karkat asked from his station at the end of the couch, cradling his camera in his hands. His face was battered up much worse than Eridan’s was. He would maybe have a bruise on his cheek this evening but Karkat’s whole face would be black and blue. Both of them would sport the ugly blemishes for at least a week, maybe two.

“Get up and get it you pussy, last I checked you weren’t crippled like Tavros.” Vriska snarled, brandishing a clipper at him. Karkat grumbled but didn’t get up from his spot. Eridan couldn’t even blame him for not moving; who knew what Vriska would do if Karkat moved from his spot.

Vriska wasn’t one for caring about others. Or well, no that was wrong. She _cared_ , she just had a fucked up way of showing it. This was reason behind Eridan’s cheek and Karkat’s entire face. And some of his stomach too. Vriska had stopped them from going any further by attacking them first. The taller man had received the first blow and wheeled on Karkat just as fast. Only he got a handful of more violent blows to the face and knee to the stomach for good measure.  

“You won’t die from a few extra hits.” Had been her response when Karkat had demanded why she wailed on him and barely touched Eridan. He hadn’t even been able to retort Vriska’s statement, tell her that he wouldn’t die if she had given more hits or if she hadn’t interrupted the fight. Instead he had crossed his arms protectively around his stomach, just barely feeling the bandaging underneath his shirt.

If he and Karkat really had gone at each other he would’ve winded back at the hospital and for a whole other reason.

Eridan glanced up from the floor and dared a look at Karkat. His roommate was fiddling with his camera, which had miraculously survived the fall, and kept looking at just about everything but the man at the chair. He let out a tired sigh and pressed the ice pack back onto his cheek.

“You ready for this Oh Sweet Prince?” Eridan jerked himself out of a stay thought and looked at the woman towering over him. She waved the hair clipper and waggled her eyebrows at Eridan.

“And you’ve done this before, right?”

“Of course I have! I shave Tavros’s head all the time.”

“And he always looks like shit when you do.” Karkat commented. Vriska snarled at the beaten man and clicked the machine to life while Eridan tensed up.

“Fuck no-“

“This is different, dumbass, you’re going _bald_ not getting a lame old Mohawk.”

Eridan tried to abscond. He really did. He’d rather go downtown to his regular hair stylist, who also had to be the biggest gossip in the city, and have her shave his head _and_ risk having everyone in the world knowing he willingly went bald than have this crazy bitch have a go at it. But Vriska forced him back down before he could leap to safety and in a matter of seconds he felt the clipper pinch at his head.

“FUCK!” The exclamation did little to stop the woman on her shaving rampage and soon brown hair fell to the floor. Eridan gawked at the hairs in silence, stunned that his bitch of a friend actually did the deed he’d asked her to do, gripping the ice pack like a life line. She didn’t take long, running the clipper in long, purposeful strokes and soon enough it was over.

“God _damn_ , I’m good.”  


End file.
